Culture

Winter hardy to USDA Zones 8-11 where plants are grown in medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates some drought. Because of its extremely rapid growth rate, it can be grown in gardens in the St. Louis area as an annual shrub from seed. Plants can be regularly pruned to stimulate bushy growth. Plants are also commonly grown in containers as either shrubs or trained as standards. Container plants can be placed on patios or sunk into the ground to the lip, but must be brought indoors in fall before first frost for overwintering. Container plants can be stooled (bushy plants are cut to the ground and standards are cut back to the trunk) prior to overwintering, in which case the stooled plants are best overwintered in a cool, dark basement or frost-free garage.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Eucalyptus cinerea, commonly called argyle apple or silver dollar tree is native to Australia. It is a broadleaf evergreen tree that will grow as a single trunk tree to 25-60’ tall in its native habitat. Bark is reddish-brown, peeling on smaller stems. If grown as an annual shrub from seed in the St. Louis area, it typically grows rapidly to 6-8’ tall by mid-summer. Juvenile foliage consists of opposite rounded silvery bluish-green leaves (to 2” long) resembling large coins, hence the common name of silver dollar tree. Foliage is aromatic. Small white flowers rarely appear on juvenile trees or container plants. Foliage stems are frequently used by florists in fresh flower arrangements.

Genus name comes from the Greek words eu meaning well and kalypto meaning to cover, as with a lid and an allusion to the united calyx-lobes and petals forming a lid or cap which is shed when the flower opens.